Food and drink · Merchant category codes
What is MCC 5499 (Miscellaneous Food Stores)?
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MCC 5499 (Miscellaneous Food Stores – Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets) is the merchant category code for stores that sell specialty foods no more specific code covers, including gourmet and health food stores, vitamin stores and meal preparation kits. It is the usual code for a direct-to-consumer food, coffee, tea or supplement brand. Use a narrower code only when one product type dominates, such as 5441 for chocolate. Visa requires 3D Secure on its online sales for merchants located in the Philippines.
- Visa name
- Miscellaneous Food Stores – Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets
- Stripe name
- Miscellaneous Food Stores - Convenience Stores and Specialty Markets
- Restricted by Stripe
- No
- Visa high-integrity risk
- No
- Visa 3D Secure rule for online sales
- Required for merchants located in the Philippines
- In PlatformDTC's Industry picker
- Yes, under "Retail"
- Typical products
- Gourmet food, Health food, Vitamin stores, Meal preparation kits, Convenience stores
What PlatformDTC does
PlatformDTC's payments setup lists 5499 in its Industry picker as "Miscellaneous food stores" under "Retail"; typing 5499 in the search box finds it. The choice is sent to Stripe as the category code of the store's own payments account and can be changed later under Settings, Payments, Professional details, subject to Stripe's check.
What sells under MCC 5499
Visa uses 5499 for stores that sell specialty foods no more specific code covers, including gourmet and health food stores, vitamin stores and meal preparation kits.
It is the usual code for a direct-to-consumer food, coffee, tea or supplement brand. Use a narrower code only when one product type dominates, such as 5441 for chocolate.
- Gourmet food
- Health food
- Vitamin stores
- Meal preparation kits
- Convenience stores
Codes it is confused with
Choose the code for the line of business that makes up most of your sales. Visa also allows a separate code for each line of business.
| Code | Name | Use it instead when |
|---|---|---|
| 5441 | Candy, Nut, and Confectionery Stores | Most sales are candy, chocolate or nuts |
| 5462 | Bakeries | Most sales are bakery goods |
| 5411 | Grocery Stores and Supermarkets | You run a full grocery where perishables are at least 45% of sales |
| 5422 | Freezer and Locker Meat Provisioners | Most sales are meat or seafood |
Risk, 3D Secure and Stripe rules
5499 is not on Visa's high-integrity risk list, so no extra Visa registration is tied to the code itself.
Stripe's list of supported codes does not mark it restricted, so a Stripe account can use it without asking Stripe first.
Visa's rules require acquirers to process online sales under 5499 with Visa Secure (3D Secure) for merchants located in the Philippines. Elsewhere, 3D Secure for this code follows the general rules of the merchant's country and the issuer's request.
Frequently asked questions
- Is MCC 5499 high risk?
- No. 5499 is not on Visa's high-integrity risk list. Stripe does not mark it restricted. Visa does require 3D Secure on online 5499 sales for merchants located in the Philippines.
- Can a PlatformDTC store use MCC 5499?
- Yes. It is in the Industry picker of PlatformDTC's payments setup under "Retail", and typing 5499 in the search finds it. PlatformDTC sends the choice to Stripe for the store's own payments account.
- Should supplements use 5499 or a pharmacy code?
- Visa lists vitamin stores under 5499. The pharmacy codes 5912 and 5122 are for sellers of prescription and proprietary drugs, are high-integrity risk for card-absent sales, and Stripe only allows them after you contact Stripe.
Sources
Related
- 5441 — Candy, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, popcorn and other sweets.
- 5462 — Stores that sell, and may make, bakery goods.
- 5411 — Full-line food stores where perishables are at least 45% of monthly sales.
- 5422 — Fresh, frozen or cured meat, fish and seafood, including bulk freezer plans.
- 5451 — Packaged butter, cheese, ice cream, milk and other dairy.
- 5921 — Packaged beer, wine and liquor to drink off the premises.